I plan on attending my first con next year, plan on going as Dark Link, and I'm not sure what 'Live Steel' is, I've been told a few different things, contradicting each other.

(image below, sorry for size.... maybe it'll help you see the detail as to if it's allowed)

The sword is not sharp at all, was hoping it would be, but is metal. I was told if it is in a sheath and tied, I'
d be fine. I suppose it may be okay at some and not at others, I've already email the security guys, just wanted to see if others may know (who knows how long it'll take to get a response from them). The sword is not nearly as sharp as this image makes it look, not sharp at all really.

Melee weapons up to a length of 1.5m with edges are rounded off, ends padded, and no dangerous parts
attached (e.g. nails or blades) are permitted, but note that:

• If the weapon is made of lightweight material such as plastic or foam or has delicate decorations then
it can be carried in hand. Care must be taken especially in crowded situations; do not carry the
weapon slung over your shoulder nor dangling from your hand so that it is a trip hazard.

• Wooden and otherwise solid but permitted melee weapons (this does not include anything with a
metal blade, see above) are allowed but must be secured to your person so they cannot be easily
drawn or taken from you.

Wooden bokkens are a restricted item by law and can only be transported between home and an official training hall or competition concerned with a sport involving bokkens.
MCM events are neither of these things so do not bring them.

If wooden bokken are banned, then i can imagine full steel ones would get some serious problems

It highly depends on the convention. Some have very strict rules about material and size. Others operate using a rule of "if you hit someone with it, would it break first, or would the person break." If they reckon the weapon'd break before the person, then it's fine.

Anyway, whatever anyone say here wouldn't be official, just opinions. You might as well wait for their reply.

Melee weapons up to a length of 1.5m with edges are rounded off, ends padded, and no dangerous parts
attached (e.g. nails or blades) are permitted, but note that:

• If the weapon is made of lightweight material such as plastic or foam or has delicate decorations then
it can be carried in hand. Care must be taken especially in crowded situations; do not carry the
weapon slung over your shoulder nor dangling from your hand so that it is a trip hazard.

• Wooden and otherwise solid but permitted melee weapons (this does not include anything with a
metal blade, see above) are allowed but must be secured to your person so they cannot be easily
drawn or taken from you.

Wooden bokkens are a restricted item by law and can only be transported between home and an official training hall or competition concerned with a sport involving bokkens.
MCM events are neither of these things so do not bring them.

If wooden bokken are banned, then i can imagine full steel ones would get some serious problems

M

Well, I AM in the US, so that may not qualify, not sure though.

I wouldn't carry it in hand or un-sheathed, would be strapped to my back in a sheath.

But yeah, seems like it's one of those things that would differ at every con, depending on their previous incidents (or lack of).

Full on metal weapons aren't allowed, I know that much. I've known people who've had toy weapons taken away from them even that weren't likely to hurt anyone, simply because they're not "peace-bondable"

Saying that though, I've been a bit naughty before and carried my replica metal sword around a convention hall with me all day. Twice. I kept it covered before and after the expo and kept it well secured during travel, but I took a chance knowing I might have it confiscated and lugged it around with me during MCM. I wouldn't recommend it, depending on how big/tightly knit the event is, but it's good that you're contacting the event staff first.

'Live Steel' is generally a re-enactment term. It refers to a combat ready blade a) can be sharpened to a sharp cutting edge b) won't shatter and splinter in the way of many replica blades. They are also very strong steel and are quite capable of killing someone in their unsharpened state.

One example of a blunt live steel blade cutting cleanly through a water melon (i.e. the right density of a human head) remains an impressive memory even now.

And also of a lunge going wrong and a sword going through one of our member's knees...

Even my blunt short sword could go through someone, no probs.

I'm a 12th cent. re-enactor btw lol.

Anyway - from re-enactment experience. Don't bother carrying around a bladed weapon in public D=. They are nice things to have, and private photoshoots can be great with them but it's really not worth the hassle.

The only way you might get a way with it is to have it bound into it's sheath with no way of drawing it - even just for pictures. In which case - you might as well not use it.

I'd simply make a replica, either out of foam, card, thermoplastic - or make a mold from the original.

It's not just the convention - you need to get it there. Probably worse >.<;

I had a conversation with one of the guys working at the expo once. We'd gone as Castle Crashers and basically made foam boffers for our swords so we could hit each other with them without hurting each other. He came over and had a play about with one of them and said he really liked them. He basically said he didn't mind people like us but they have problems with idiots with metal swords (bare with me here, that's not to say everyone with a metal sword is an idiot just that idiots are a problem when they get hold of a sword.) He went on and told us a story about some Bleach cosplayers who had metal weapons. Apparently someone asked for a photo and one of these guys drew his sword in an overly dramatic way and hit his friend with the sword... needless to say they both got kicked out.
Having brought swords from the place they always heavily tape the things in a box and make a point of telling you not to get it out until you get home. The official stance is metal swords, sharp or not, are a no no. It's worth baring in mind that even if the sword isn't sharp if you were to hit somoeone with it you would be essentially hitting them with a metal bar, and depending on the type of sword, the weight of the thing may well be enough to severe a limb without it being incredibly sharp.
However, if you were only intending to carry the sword in its sheath chances are you'd probably get away with it... but it looks like a nice replica to me so do you really want to take the chance of getting it confiscated?
I'm sure you don't intend to go swinging it around your head by the way, but for my pennies worth you're probably better going for a maybe less impressive but certainly less lethal option.